Working With NIH

Explore these sponsor-specific tools and resources for working with the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Proposal submission resources

NIH resources

The following NIH resources are intended to guide the process for proposals being submitted to NIH

• Standard Due Dates
• Understanding Grant Numbers
• Deciphering NIH Application/Grant Numbers 
• NIH Electronic Research Administration (eRA) Service Desk
• How to Apply – Application Guide 

NIH eRA Commons

eRA Commons IDs are required for NIH proposals and awards. Learn about requesting, updating, affiliating and looking up NIH eRA Commons IDs at U-M in the NIH eRA Commons Registration and ID Lookup page.

NIH FORMS-I Human Subject and Clinical Trials Information Worksheet

The fillable NIH FORMS-I Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information Worksheet is intended to help U-M research administrators collect the detailed data and scientific questions they will need from principal investigators (PIs) to more readily complete FORMS-IH and the PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information Form in the eResearch Proposal Management (eRPM) system.

NIH appendix reminder

The only allowable appendix materials are:

• For applications proposing clinical trials (unless the FOA provides other instructions for these materials):
  • Clinical trial protocols
  • Investigator’s brochure from Investigational New Drug (IND), as appropriate
• For all applications:
  • Blank informed consent/assent form
  • Blank surveys, questionnaires, data collection instruments
  • FOA-specified items. (NOTE: If appendix materials are required in the FOA, review criteria for that FOA will address those materials, and applications submitted without those appendix materials will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.)

Updated NIH application policies

• Letters of intent: In NOT-OD-26-019 released Dec. 3, 2025, NIH announced that it would no longer request or accept letters of intent as part of the application process. The change is designed to increase efficiency and minimize applicant burden. 
• Approval before submission: In addition, NIH will no longer require applicants requesting $500,000 or more in direct costs (excluding consortium F&A costs) in any one budget period to contact the funding Institute or Center before application submission or to include a cover letter identifying the program official contacted.
• Application limits: NIH notice (NOT-OD-25-132) instituted a new policy limiting the number of applications it will consider per PI or MPI per year to six new, renewal, resubmission or revision applications for all council rounds in a calendar year. This policy applies to all activity codes except T activity codes and R13 conference grant applications. Visit the NIH FAQs for more information.
• Late submissions: NIH published a notice (NOT-OD-26-064) announcing several changes to its policy for late submission of competitive applications. The updated policy is effective for applications submitted for due dates on or after May 25, 2026. Key highlights: 
  • Continuous submission: NIH will only accept continuous submission applications through Aug. 10, 2026. After that, continuous submissions will be disallowed and project teams must follow the late policy guidance. 
  • General late policy: The updated late submission policy is detailed in NOT-OD-26-064 including eligibility criteria.
  • Review service policy: Late applications are also allowed if any PD/PI named on the application participates in specific NIH review service within four calendar weeks before or after the due date. See NOT-OD-26-064 for accepted review service.

Visit the Update of NIH Late Application Submission Policy and End of Continuous Submission notice for more guidance on submitting a late application, what to document in the cover letter attachment, and examples of reasons NIH may or may not accept a late application.

NIH revision applications

For  NIH Revision Applications, on the SF-424 select the Resubmission application in Box 2 and in Box 4, the Federal Identifier field, enter only the IC and serial number of the previous application (such as GM123456).

NIH foreign subawards guidance

NIH released the funding opportunity announcement for proposals with international collaborators that formerly would have been handled through subcontracts. PA-26-002: NIH Collaborative International Research Project (Parent PF5 Clinical Trial Optional) follows up on the guidance posted regarding the New Application Structure for NIH-Funded International Collaborations (NOT-OD-25-155). For more information on the application structure and what to include in proposals, visit the announcement: NIH Guidance for Foreign Subawards. This NIH webpage provides additional information for setting up PF5 International Collaboration proposals and clarifies what should be included.

NIH modular budgets

NIH modular budgets are required on new, competing continuation and revised (amended) applications, as well as for competing supplements that request up to a total of $250,000 direct costs (less consortium F&A) and fall in one of the following mechanisms:

• Research Project Grants (R01)
• Small Grants (R03)
• Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) Grants (R15)
• Exploratory/Developmental Research Grants (R21)
• Clinical Trial Planning Grant Program (R34)
• Some RFA/PAs

In short, NIH modular applications:

• Include proposed budgets in increments (modules) of $25,000
• Do not include detailed categorical budget information
• Include only a brief justification for several of the intended budget items

More details on the process can be found at the NIH modular application webpage.

Modular applications result in modular awards. Modular awards are issued without direct cost categorical breakdowns. Without these categorical breakdowns there is no specific “approved budget” against which project expenditures can be compared. In fact, for modular awards, the NIH restriction prohibiting significant rebudgeting has been removed.

Cost accounting standards still apply

Issuing a modular award does not relieve the grantee institution from its normal financial management requirements. The cost principles of the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR § 200) and the applicable cost accounting standards still apply; all project charges must be allowable, allocable, reasonable and consistently treated; and the University must account for costs related to these awards by category within our standard accounting system.

Note: The modular application format also simplifies the explicit request/approval for items that would normally be considered indirect costs. If project teams anticipate the need for such expenses during the course of the project, and believe they are allowable under the Uniform Guidance, complete an award change request. If allowable, ORSP will document approval for inclusion in the project team’s budget reallocation request to Sponsored Programs.

Budget breakdown options

With the receipt of a modular award, prospective detailed budgets are not necessary to meet post-award management responsibilities. The Project/Grant Budget Status Report (PBSR) should be viewed as a management tool for both the PI and their administrative staff. It should be an assist device to monitor the costs of the project based on the awarded amounts and actual expenses. 

Accordingly, Finance-Sponsored Programs staff will not require the submission of a budget at the outset of a project. Rather, investigators and their unit representatives will be given the option to provide the degree of categorical breakdown they prefer to enhance their ability to monitor the project. 

If a breakdown is desired, please communicate the details to the appropriate Sponsored Programs coordinator. If no breakdown is desired, all the awarded direct cost funds will be shown in the unallocated line. The other major cost categories will show a “0” to permit expenditures in these categories.

NIH-specific policies

The following resources are intended to highlight policies that are specific to NIH proposals and awards.

NIH salary cap

NIH posted the new Executive Level salary cap for 2026 as $228,000, effective Jan. 1, 2026 (NOT-OD-26-038).

NIH Data Management and Sharing Plans

NIH requires researchers to submit a Data Management and Sharing Plan (DMS plan) with all new grant applications. This policy applies to all research, funded or conducted in whole or in part by NIH, that results in the generation of scientific data. The 2026 Pilot DMS Plan format is required for application due dates on or after May 25, 2026. The new, simplified format requires less information and is available on the NIH DMS Plan webpage. For additional information see NIH’s Writing a Data Management and Sharing Plan and visit the Data Sharing Resources and Policies page to learn more. 

NIH Grant-Related Data Sharing Costs

Data Management and Sharing (DMS) costs should be shared in the appropriate cost category, e.g., personnel, equipment, supplies and other expenses, following the instructions and providing details as instructed within the applicable form (e.g., R&R Budget Form or PHS 398 Modular Budget Form). The Data Management and Sharing justification must be clearly labeled as “Data Management and Sharing Justification” within the budget justification attachment followed by the estimated dollar amount (total direct costs). See full details in Notice NOT-OD-23-161.  

Learn more about budgeting and direct costs on ORSP’s Budget and Cost Resources page.

NIH Public Access Policy

The NIH Public Access Policy requires that manuscripts be submitted to PubMed Central upon acceptance for publication and be made publicly available without an embargo period. Visit the U-M Library’s National Institutes of Health Public Access Policy research guide to learn more.

PIs and program directors must also use “My Bibliography” in My NCBI to organize their bibliographies and ensure compliance. Citations must be added to My Bibliography to ensure that they appear in eRA Commons and thereby become associated with future annual progress reports. My Bibliography helps users address NIH Public Access compliance by associating the appropriate NIH grant(s) with publications. Learn more about My Bibliography Managing and Citing NIH Publications from the U-M Library.

Managing NIH awards

• NIH Grants Policy Statement: The NIH Grants Policy Statement (NIHGPS) makes available, in a single document, the policy requirements that serve as the terms and conditions of NIH grant awards. By accepting an award, recipients agree to comply with the requirements in the NIH Grants Policy Statement except where the notice of award states otherwise. Notices of policy changes published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts can supersede information in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Compliance with these policy updates also becomes a term and condition of award. 
• Prior approval for new domestic subawards: Effective June 1, 2026, all prime recipients are required to obtain NIH prior approval when adding a new domestic subaward to a project post-award, when the arrangement was not originally a part of the peer-reviewed and approved application. See NOT-OD-26-062 for additional information.
• NIH updates for subaward/consortium written agreements: Effective Jan. 1, 2024, NIH’s Policy Guidance for Subaward/Consortium Written Agreements, requires international subrecipients to provide access to copies of all lab notebooks, all data and all documentation that support the research outcomes as described in the progress report to the primary recipient with a frequency of no less than once per year, in alignment with the timing requirements for research performance progress report (RPPR) submission. PIs on NIH projects with foreign subrecipients must ensure that access to such lab notes, data, etc., is provided in alignment with the timing of RPPR submissions. Cases of subrecipient non-compliance must be reported to [email protected]. NIH will not support any agreement that does not meet the minimum requirements outlined in this notice. The Office of Contract Administration (OCA) and the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects (ORSP) have worked together to update the Subrecipient Commitment Form.
• NIH Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPRS): RPPRs are required at least annually for NIH-funded projects. Learn more about RPPR types, steps and common errors to watch for in the NIH Research Performance Progress Reports page. 

NIH Service Desk

For help with the eRA systems questions, contact the eRA Service Desk.

For general grants and funding information, visit the Need Help? Section of the NIH Grants & Funding website. NIH’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) may also be helpful.